Golf Cart Air Shocks: Do They Improve Your Ride and Safety?

Are you having trouble riding your golf cart on uneven roads? Has it become difficult to balance the vehicle? If yes, consider installing golf cart air shocks. 

Air shocks are a protective component in your cart. It absorbs shocks which produce when you are on a bumpy ride. It also keeps the cartwheels at the same level so that you don’t feel the bounce during your ride. 

So, quite useful, isn’t it? Do you want to know more about how it improves your ride? Are you concerned about how safe it is? If yes, dig into the article to know the details. 

How Golf Cart Air Shocks Work?

Who doesn’t want a safe and comfortable ride in his favorite golf cart? With air shocks installed, you can get both those facilities at once! After all, it aims to lessen the roads’ impacts and smooth your drive. 

When you drive your cart, its tires come in contact with pebbles, bumps, uneven roads, and various imperfections. They all leave an impact or shock. 

Scientifically, as the cart is in moving condition, the impacts turn into kinetic ones. It carries the wheel upwards and then travels through various connectors to the seat. As you are seated there, you do not feel comfortable. 

Now, how do air shocks fit into this? How does it work? Air shocks have three essential components, a piston, a valve, and a compressible air chamber.

 The air shock compresses when the cartwheels meet a bump on the road. Due to the compression, the kinetic energy is absorbed into the shock.

It inflates the air tube and raises the height of the cart for better stability and balance.

The wheels don’t move at weird angles because impulse vibration can’t travel through the cart. 

Hence, the cart doesn’t bounce or move unpleasantly. So, air shocks act as a protective cushion for the tires and improve the riding experience in a golf cart.

Different Types Of Air Shocks Available For Golf Carts

Four basic types of air shocks are suitable for golf carts. Even though they have different compositions, they all have the same goal. It is to make your golf cart ride pleasant. 

1. Mono Tube Air Shock

These air shocks have a cylindrical body and come as a single tube. Hydraulic fluid and compressed air is placed in the same tube in this shock.

2. Twin Tube Air Shock

Like monotubes, they also have a tube-like structure. However, this shock has two tubes, one inner and one outer tube. Hydraulic fluid resides in the outer tube, and compressed air in the inner one.

3. Piggyback Air Shock

Above the main air chamber, there’s an additional chamber in this shock. It adds more capacity to the shock and makes it react instantly and more independently to fast bumps. 

4. Coil-over Air Shock

They are similar to the twin tube but have an extra spring outside. Due to the spring, the adjustment of the shock to the impacts of obstacles becomes more swift and smooth.

Step-By-Step Instructions For Installing Air Shocks On A Golf Cart

Air shocks not only make your ride comfortable, but it also increases the carrying capacity of a golf cart.

And due to the inflated air tube, the cart’s height increases, which gives the wheels extra grip on the road. It provides excellent help balancing the cart, especially while making turns. 

As golf cart air shocks are helpful and necessary, isn’t it great to have one? But how to install it? It is pretty easy. Here’s a quick guide to help you!

1. Get Compatible Air Shocks

Before installing air shocks in your golf cart, you need to know whether the cart is suitable for one. If yes, then you have to buy a shock that is compatible with your cart.

2. Remove The Previous Shocks

If your golf cart has a shock, coiled, or aired, you must remove it first to install a new one. 

• Look under the cart, beside the wheel, to find the mounting hardware.
• You will find a tightly secured bolt on the lower part of the current shock.
• Use a wrench to remove that bolt. The lower part will become free. 
• Now, at the upper end of the shock, there’s another bolt securing it. 
• Keep turning the shock anti-clockwise, and it should come off. 
• If it doesn’t, use a wrench to open the upper nut. 

3. Place The Shock On The Mounting Hardware

Take the new air shocks, and place the upper end through the gap of the mounting system. Reach the undercover of the cart and tighten it using nuts.

While using a wrench to tighten the bolt, keep turning the shock tube clockwise. Now for the lower end of the shock, tightly attach it with the help of the nuts. 

4. Secure The Bolts

Lastly, ensure all the nuts and bolts are in place, tight, and secure. Try moving the shock tube to see if it moves or is loose. If it is, tighten it more. 

With time, air shocks have replaced traditional coil shocks. If your cart is an old model, and you want to upgrade to air shocks, follow the same procedure properly.

How To Adjust Air Shocks For Best Ride Quality And Performance?

Having air shocks in your golf cart helps you to have a smooth and comfortable ride. However, every golf cart is different, and so is its owner’s preference.

Air shocks will only provide the riding performance if you set it according to your liking. 

Let’s look at how you can take your riding experience to the next level by adjusting air shocks. 

1. Cart Is Standing Evenly

First, make sure the cartwheels are touching the ground and standing evenly. You will have trouble adjusting the air shock’s height if the cart is on uneven ground. 

2. Fill In Air

Air shocks need the air filled in the valve to operate. So, you will have to pump air into it. Find the air-filling valve on the shock absorber. Then, using an air pump, fill a decent amount of air. 

3. Find The Right Pressure

You can find the recommended air pressure for the particular shock in the manufacturer’s manual. After filling the air, measure it with an air pressure gauge.

If it is less than the mentioned pressure, load more into it. And if the air pressure exceeds the desired level, release the air valve a little, so it deflates.

4. Adjust The Pressure

Though there’s a recommended air pressure for every cart, you can set it according to your preference.

If you plan to drive on rough terrain, you will need a stiffer but more responsive shock. And for that, you will need to increase the air pressure inside the air shocks. 

On the other hand, if you are riding in a less bumpy area, lowering the air pressure of the shock valve will bring out better cart performance. It will let you handle the cart softly but securely. 

5. Test Drive

After you are done with filling the air in the shock, it is time to go on a test drive. Otherwise, you won’t be able to determine whether the balance of air pressure and cart height is working right or not. Drive for 30 minutes and make your final decision.

6. Final Changes

After the test drive, you already know what changes you want to make. For example- is the cart too high? Do you want it to be on a lower level? If yes, you can adjust the air shock height.

How To Tell If Golf Cart Shocks Are Bad?

Just like any other mechanical parts, shocks can wear out with time. In fact, they have more chances to damage as they tolerate almost all impacts from difficult roads.

But how do you know when the shocks in your golf cart are impaired? Here are a few signs to alert you about that. 

• The first sign of bad golf cart air shocks is experiencing bouncing and bumpy rides. Shocks are for maintaining the balance and stability of the cart. When it is damaged, the cart loses its balance, resulting in an uncomfortable ride. 
• Another significant sign of damaged shock is the cart dives forward too frequently, especially during hard braking.
• If the distance between the suspension system and the tire has decreased, it is time to replace the air shock.
• Swaying the cart body, especially when turning corners, may be caused by bad air shocks. 
• You may find worn-down tires more often due to bad shocks, as the tires don’t get much grip on the roads. 
• With a faulty shock, you may hear weird noises and sometimes leaking cylinders in the golf cart. 

Tips And Tricks For Maintaining Golf Cart Air Shocks 

When a golf cart runs on an uneven surface, the piston of the air shocks repeatedly slams into the compressor.

If you don’t take care of the shock absorber and maintain it properly, it can damage earlier. Do you think some tips will come in handy? Here are a few for you.

Regular Cleaning

Frequent cleaning elongates the lifespan of any machine. When you ride your cart, it comes in contact with dust, dirt, debris, etc. Brush them off gently from the air shocks using water and mild soap. 

Checking Air Pressure

Air shocks come with a recommended pressure level. They perform optimally at that particular pressure.

Overinflation or underinflation both decrease the functional ability of the shock. So, keep the air pressure in check. 

Leakage Inspection

Inspect the shocks frequently, especially for any leaks. If there’s any, repair it before your subsequent use. 

Avoid Overload

Air shocks slightly increase the carrying capacity of the golf cart. However, too much Overload puts much pressure on the shock and strains it. So, avoid overloading your cart. 

Replace The Shocks

The shock may become worn out and damaged with use. Check the parts carefully and see if any of them needs replacement. If yes, replace them with a suitable one.

Read Also:

Painting a Golf Cart with Krylon Fusion: How to Do It Right?

How to Make Your 36-Volt Golf Cart Go Faster? [7 Best Methods]

How to Mount Slow Moving Vehicle Sign to Golf Cart?

Golf Cart Front Seat Armrest: How to Install Armrest Easily?

FAQs.

Here are some common questions that users frequently ask. We will answer them to the best of our knowledge.

Conclusion

Golf cart air shocks are known for their ability to turn your bumpy drive into a smooth one. But knowing how to install them in your golf cart is a must to enjoy their facility. 

Now you also know how to find out whether the air shocks in your cart are defective and need replacement. 

And lastly, with the tips to maintain the shocks, you can hopefully have a fantastic riding experience with your golf cart.

Reference: https://cartaholics.com/threads/air-shocks-for-front-and-rear-txts.457/